I am disgusted with television. Students are watching television instead of reading, playing normal childhood games that involve geometric and arithmetic brain learning (and I don't mean video games), listening, playing and dancing to a variety of music; talking with each other about secret clubhouses, football, or dolls; pretending, creating, drawing, buiding crafts, conducting experiments (but thank goodness for Zoom!), or just being a kid.
What are they watching? Take a look at children's programming. Children's programming now has adult innuendos, kids who achieve in school are portrayed as and even called nerds, students with learning difficulties are portrayed as dummies, parents and teachers are portrayed as stupid or mean, and sometimes the good guys in action programs are not really all that much the good guys.
Today, children imitate what they see on television, not just in pretend situations like we did when I was a kid, but really doing what was on television. I'm not just referring to violence, but I recall what television was like when I was a kid. First of all, my parents had access to a special button on the television, (oh, by the way, we had to walk to the set to change channels, oops! I mean, to change to the other channel), and this button turned the set off. My parents insisted that I play outside; my brother and I did pretend to be Batman, and our seated swing was the Batmobile; our garbage can lids were Captain America's shield, and sticks made great Zorro swords--but it was pretend and it was creative play. Our neighborhood would ride bikes. The second grade teacher could not take a walk without all the kids in the neighborhood following her as if she were the Pied Piper, and she would teach us nature lessons on our impormptu hikes. Secondly, I remember watching The Three Stooges. The announcer would discuss the program. I still remember him telling us that he received parents' letters of kids trying the stunts at home, he explained how the stunts were performed, and said that if he received one more letter he would take the program off the air! I remember shows that were similar to Zoom, the 4-H TV Science Club, a show that taught me about music....overall,the programs that I did watch were either educational or geared specifically toward a young audience.
Why am I disgusted? As teachers, are we not seeing the results of this post modern TV generation? And as teachers, are we not being told that we are responsible, that schools are responsible, for the results that we are seeing?
What are they watching? Take a look at children's programming. Children's programming now has adult innuendos, kids who achieve in school are portrayed as and even called nerds, students with learning difficulties are portrayed as dummies, parents and teachers are portrayed as stupid or mean, and sometimes the good guys in action programs are not really all that much the good guys.
Today, children imitate what they see on television, not just in pretend situations like we did when I was a kid, but really doing what was on television. I'm not just referring to violence, but I recall what television was like when I was a kid. First of all, my parents had access to a special button on the television, (oh, by the way, we had to walk to the set to change channels, oops! I mean, to change to the other channel), and this button turned the set off. My parents insisted that I play outside; my brother and I did pretend to be Batman, and our seated swing was the Batmobile; our garbage can lids were Captain America's shield, and sticks made great Zorro swords--but it was pretend and it was creative play. Our neighborhood would ride bikes. The second grade teacher could not take a walk without all the kids in the neighborhood following her as if she were the Pied Piper, and she would teach us nature lessons on our impormptu hikes. Secondly, I remember watching The Three Stooges. The announcer would discuss the program. I still remember him telling us that he received parents' letters of kids trying the stunts at home, he explained how the stunts were performed, and said that if he received one more letter he would take the program off the air! I remember shows that were similar to Zoom, the 4-H TV Science Club, a show that taught me about music....overall,the programs that I did watch were either educational or geared specifically toward a young audience.
Why am I disgusted? As teachers, are we not seeing the results of this post modern TV generation? And as teachers, are we not being told that we are responsible, that schools are responsible, for the results that we are seeing?
I worry so much about what is happening in this country due to all of this violence on tv and in video games. But what can we do? If somebody has an idea, I'd absolutely love to hear it. My husband wonders why I get nostalgic for old times, things were better then.